Jun 19 Tantantei | たんたん亭 本店

Style: Shoyu WontonmenBowl to Crush: Mix Wontonmen | ミックスワンタンメン

Tantantei has been serving ramen for over 35 years, and it's known for one thing: wontonmen. The shop is an institution, having trained numerous masters who went on to establish prestigious wontonmen shops around Tokyo. The masters of Yakumo, Hayashimaru and Ishihara — highly respected shops — all got their start here.

Just one shoyu-based variety of soup is served, but it's made with a vast array of ingredients, such as saba, shiitake, konbu, niboshi, dried shrimp, pork parts, chicken parts, ox tail, and others. Various dishes are available, including ramen, wonton soup, wontonmen, chashumen, etc. Two types of wontons are served, one with meat filling and the other with shrimp. Order the "mix wontonmen" so you get to try both. Tantantei's chashu is prepared Chinese style, so it has a bit of that dim sum sweetness. The handmade wontons are immaculately prepared. The gyoza are great too. This isn't a shop that is going to blow you away with powerful flavors; this is Japanese comfort food — a bowl you could conceivably eat every day.

The interior design is reminiscent of an old Japanese diner. There is just one long counter for seating. There is a second branch of Tantantei in Asagaya, but we prefer the original.